Personal video or image displays are devices that are used to display an image received from a source for viewing by a single user. Such devices can be in the form of head-mounted displays that are worn on the head of a user and include one or more image sources over or in front of the user's eyes. Head-mounted displays can include an image source positioned adjacent and associated with each eye of the user or wearer and can be configured to present the same image, viewable as a single two-dimensional image. Alternatively, some such devices can be configured to present different stereoscopic images that are interpreted by the viewer as a single three-dimensional image. Regardless of the type of image presented to the user, such devices are usually blacked-out. That is, they almost entirely obstruct the wearer's vision outside of the screen or other image source included therein so that the user can see nothing but the image presented by the device's display system.
Other personal image displays can be what is referred to as a heads-up display, wherein the image is displayed on, in, or through a transparent display that superimpose the displayed image over a view of the surrounding environment. These allow the user to view the image presented by the display simultaneously with their surroundings. Such devices, however, can have many limitations, including in their fit and comfort to their wearers as well as limited functionality.
Both head-mounted and heads-up displays can be connected to a video source that receives a video signal that the device can read and convert into the image that they present to the user. The video source can be received from a portable device such as a video player, a portable media player or computers. Some such display devices are also configured to receive sound signals, which are delivered to the user typically through incorporated headphones. The functionality of these types of displays is, however, limited to passive actions wherein the display simply receives information from an external source and presents it to the wearer in limited forms. Additionally, some displays may not be easily configured for persons with ocular diseases or disorders, such as those persons who require corrective lenses or who otherwise desire to use such displays in conjunction with lenses configured to provide protection, either in the form of physical or UV protection. In these instances, some displays may not cooperate with such corrective or protective lenses, thereby causing a person to wear the display without the benefits associated therewith. In this scenario, the person may have difficulty resolving the images being presented by the displays or may otherwise be vulnerable to injury or damage from UV exposure.